Loving-kindness—there’s a thought! 🤔 But let’s talk about entrenchment, particularly in non-profit (NFP) housing providers that are thriving off their so-called “below-market” rents—rents that are anything but affordable. (Side note, the BC Societies Act needs a complete overhaul IMHO https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/15018_01)
Here’s what’s happening:
🏗️ Demolishing instead of repurposing: Older buildings (30 years old is now considered “old”) are being emptied and torn down.
🏠 Dodging taxes & misusing space: These NFPs aren’t paying empty homes tax and aren’t using vacant family-sized units for short-term emergency housing.
📏 Shrinking unit sizes & prioritizing singles: The rebuild triples the number of units, but the square footage shrinks—favoring studios and 1-bedroom apartments over the desperately needed family-sized homes in Vancouver (YVR).
💰 “Below-market” rents that mirror market inflation: Because "below-market" and "social housing" rents are pegged to super-inflated market rates, the affordability is a myth.
🏢 NFPs are becoming oligarchs: Since the Broadway (FlawedWay) Plan was first discussed, NFP housing providers have been buying up land like nobody’s business, consolidating power and control over Vancouver’s rental market - TAX FREE!!
The Reality of “Below Market” Housing in Vancouver:
If the market rent for a 1-bedroom unit in YVR is $3,000/month, then:
➡️ "Below market" rates are only 10% lower, meaning $2,700/month rent.
➡️ To "afford" this under the 30% income rule, you'd need to earn a minimum of $108,000/year.
🚨 That’s not affordable housing—that’s just a slightly discounted version of unaffordability 🚨
Hi Linsea. As always, your thoughts are comprehensive, covering much more of the issue than my words. I'm writing about the by-election with deliberate simplification because I believe if TEAM or anyone else gets too much into the weeds, they will lose. We can address many of the issues you note, but only after we are elected. Take care.
Varying degrees of mental illness require varying degrees of support. Patients with severe & persistent symptoms & serious cognitive deficits require help with routine tasks of daily living, taking their prescribed antipsychotic medications 3 times per.day, arranging social interaction with others,, etc. These folks can thrive and live safely and with dignity in the community IF and only if they have proper levels of trained staff that are part of their 'home'--- e.g., a large house in a decent neighbourhood.
An excellent example of an orginization providing good housing with adequate support levels for people with mental illness in BC is Coast Foundation.
Jane, thanks for reading and for your comments. I'm sure my 5% proposal will not work for all, just as I am sure the congregate approach will not work for most. The problem is complex and the 5% solution is somewhat simplistic. I was hoping readers would bring forward alternatives to the crude congregate approach. Thank you for doing so.
Loving-kindness—there’s a thought! 🤔 But let’s talk about entrenchment, particularly in non-profit (NFP) housing providers that are thriving off their so-called “below-market” rents—rents that are anything but affordable. (Side note, the BC Societies Act needs a complete overhaul IMHO https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/15018_01)
Here’s what’s happening:
🏗️ Demolishing instead of repurposing: Older buildings (30 years old is now considered “old”) are being emptied and torn down.
🏠 Dodging taxes & misusing space: These NFPs aren’t paying empty homes tax and aren’t using vacant family-sized units for short-term emergency housing.
📏 Shrinking unit sizes & prioritizing singles: The rebuild triples the number of units, but the square footage shrinks—favoring studios and 1-bedroom apartments over the desperately needed family-sized homes in Vancouver (YVR).
💰 “Below-market” rents that mirror market inflation: Because "below-market" and "social housing" rents are pegged to super-inflated market rates, the affordability is a myth.
🏢 NFPs are becoming oligarchs: Since the Broadway (FlawedWay) Plan was first discussed, NFP housing providers have been buying up land like nobody’s business, consolidating power and control over Vancouver’s rental market - TAX FREE!!
The Reality of “Below Market” Housing in Vancouver:
If the market rent for a 1-bedroom unit in YVR is $3,000/month, then:
➡️ "Below market" rates are only 10% lower, meaning $2,700/month rent.
➡️ To "afford" this under the 30% income rule, you'd need to earn a minimum of $108,000/year.
🚨 That’s not affordable housing—that’s just a slightly discounted version of unaffordability 🚨
Hi Linsea. As always, your thoughts are comprehensive, covering much more of the issue than my words. I'm writing about the by-election with deliberate simplification because I believe if TEAM or anyone else gets too much into the weeds, they will lose. We can address many of the issues you note, but only after we are elected. Take care.
Developer-funded factions like AHV need to be kicked to the curb. PS thank you Brian & son.
I could not agree more!
Varying degrees of mental illness require varying degrees of support. Patients with severe & persistent symptoms & serious cognitive deficits require help with routine tasks of daily living, taking their prescribed antipsychotic medications 3 times per.day, arranging social interaction with others,, etc. These folks can thrive and live safely and with dignity in the community IF and only if they have proper levels of trained staff that are part of their 'home'--- e.g., a large house in a decent neighbourhood.
An excellent example of an orginization providing good housing with adequate support levels for people with mental illness in BC is Coast Foundation.
Jane, thanks for reading and for your comments. I'm sure my 5% proposal will not work for all, just as I am sure the congregate approach will not work for most. The problem is complex and the 5% solution is somewhat simplistic. I was hoping readers would bring forward alternatives to the crude congregate approach. Thank you for doing so.